Packaging machine



E. P. DORMAN.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I4, 1920.

LQ34L376O Patented. Nov. 7, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHED I.

T1 11 dlkwxqp p/ WM. WW

E. P. DORMAN.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1920.

LQS LLST/GO Patented Nov. 7, 1922..

2 SHEETS SHEET 2.

an!!! Sauna g E Patented Nov. '77, 1922.

UNETED STATES PATENT @IFFHQE.

EDGAR 1P. DORE/IAN, 0F TATSFIELD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, TO THE CROWN CORK AND SEALCOMPANY OF BALTIMORE, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION 015 REARYLAND.

PACKAGING MACHINE.

Original application filed February 11, 1918, Serial No. 216,465..

Divided and this application filed June 14, 1920. Serial No. 389,056.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR P. DoRMAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Tatsfield, Surrey, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packaging Machines, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in packaging machines and more particularly to cap feeding mechanism. The present application is a division of an application filed February 11, 1918, Serial No. 216,465.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide mechanism for delivering caps, such as crowns, from a relatively stationary hopper to a reciprocating capping mecha nism at a higher rate of speed than has heretofore been possible, and such that jamming of the caps and like interruptions are avoided.

With this general object in view, the invention consists in the combinations, arrangements of parts, and details of construction which will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a view, in front elevation, with parts broken away, of a cap feeding de vice constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in a different position;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation, with parts in vertical section. h

Referring to the drawings, 1n the apparatus here illustrated as an example, a head frame 110 supported on a base or column 111 carries a reciprocating capping mechanism including a tubular plunger 58 sliding in the head frame 110. On its lower end, this plunger has a throat carrier 60 which carries a bell-mouthed crown platform 61 and a throat ring or capping die 62. Within the tubular plunger 58 is a presser foot 63. 'The tubular plunger 58 is reciprocated in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the construction shown in applicants co-pending application, Serial No.

216,465, to which reference may be had for further details of construction of the capping mechanism which, in themselves, form no part of the present invention.

Means is provided for supplying caps, such as crowns, to the capping mechanism. To this end, in the present embodiment the head frame carries a hopper 17 to which crowns are delivered in a mass. Associated with the hopper is crown selecting mechanism for properly facing the crowns all one way. This may be of any suitable construction. In the drawings is illustrated an exemplification comprising a cage 178 having a plate or flange 179 forming, with the front of the hopper, a storage ring 180. Pinned to the cage is a dial 181 which carries vanes 182 for churning up the crowns to cause them to drop into the cage. The cage is provided with a plurality of selecting pins 183 so arranged that crowns can pass between them only when properly faced. A hopper shaft 184 having thereon a sprocket 185 is driven by a chain 186 driven in turn by a sprocket 187 which may be rotated in any suitable manner. The hopper shaft drives the cage and dial through a ratchet 188 and a spring pressed pawl 189. With such a construction, should a crown become ammed in the hopper, the pawl will slide over the ratchet teeth and the selecting mechanism will remain stationary until the obstruction is removed.

There is provided means for feeding crowns from the hopper to the reciprocating capping mechanism, and in structures embodying the invention to the best advantage, there is provided a fixed chute and a movable chute out of alignment with each other, provision being made for the transfer of crowns from one to the other. Although capable of various constructions, in the embodiment illustrated, opening out from the storage channel 180'is a stationary chute 190 secured to lugs 191 on the hopper and frame by set screws 192. This chute curves inwardly toward the head frame and terminates in a vertical portion, as appears in Fig. 1. Alongside the chute 190 is a chute 193 moving with the capping mechanism and having a bearing bracket 19 1 sliding on a rod 195 carried by the head frame, its

Int

lower end opening into the crown lati'orm and being secured thereto. To a low transfer of crowns from the stationary to the moving chute, the adjacent sides of the chutes are provided with registerin openings. As shown, the stationary c uteis provided with a side opening 196 of a size to permit one crown at a timeto pass and the crowns are directed toward this opening by the slanting bottom 197 of the chute. Registering with this opening 196, in the moving chute, is an opening 198 of such length that what ever the vertical position of the chute, there is always an opening corresponding to the one crown opening 196 of the other chute. It will be seen that crowns passing into the chute 193 will feed downward, by gravity, into the crown platform of the cappin mechanism.

Means is provide for intermittently cutting off the flow of crowns from chute to chute and in structures embodying the invention to the best advantage, this operation takes place once for each reci%(1)lcation of the capping mechanism. ile variable within a wide range, this means for cutting off the crown flow may include a yieldable gate moving with the capping mechanism to intermittently close the crown passage. Although capable of various constructions, in that shown, fitting freely in the moving chute 1s a gate block 199 hung on a rod 200 passing freely through the top of the chute and having on its u per end a nut 201 normally resting on t e top of the chute. When the chute, with the capping mechanism, is raised, the gate is also raised and held up by the engagement of the chute top with the nut 201. When the chute descends the gate will also descend under the force of gravity, and will close the crown passage to cut off the flow of crowns, as appears in lFi 2. It sometimes happens that a crown 1n transit through the transfer assage is met b the descending gate. 11 such event, t e gate being freely mounted, yields, and its slantin lower end engages the crown which is held thereby against the bottom 197 of the transfer passage due to the weight of the gate.

It will be understood that the invention.

is not limited to the specific structure shown,

variations in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts being possible without departing from the invention. What is claimed is: 1. In a packaging apparatus, and in comis manner the flow of crowns is cut ofi bination, a reciprocating capping mechanism, a chute movin therewith, a relatively stationary cap supp y chute having a portion paralleling part of said moving chute edge to edge, said portions beingl provided with cooperatin openings in t eir adjacent edges for t e passage of crowns from one chute to another, the supply chute having associated therewith an element for directing caps through said openings into the moving chute.

2. In a packaging apparatus, and in combination, a reclprocating capping mechanism, a chute movin therewith, a relatively stationary cap-supp y chute having aportion alon side a portion of said moving chute, sai portions being provided with cooperating openings for the passage of caps from one chute to the other, and a directing element in the supply chute for directing caps through said openings into the moving chute.

'3. In a packaging apparatus, and in combination, a reclprocating capping mechanism, a chute movin therewith, a relatively stationary cap-supp y chute having a portion alongside a portion of said moving chute, said portions being provided with 00- operating openings for the passage of caps from one chute to the other, a directing element in the supply chute for directing caps through said openings into the moving chute, and a gate for intermittently blocking said openings to cut off the flow of caps.

4. In a packaging apparatus and in combination, a reciprocating ca ping mechanism, a chute moving therewit h, a relatively stationary cap-sup y chute having a portion alongside sai moving chute, one of said chutes having an opening capacitated to pass a single cap, the other chute having a cooperating opening of a length to be availa le in any relative position of the two chutes, and a slanting bottom in the supply chute for directin caps through said openings into the movlng chute.

5. In a packaging apparatus, and in combination, a reciprocating capping mechanism, a chute moving therewith, a stationary cap-supplyin chute alongside said moving chute, sai chutes being provided with a assage for the caps, and a gravityoperate freely suspended, passage-closing gate carried by said moving chute for cutting oil the flow of caps.

6. In a packaging apparatus, and incombination, a reclprocatin nism having a crown plat orm, a chute mov- "ing with said capping mechanism and having a substantially vertical rtion and communicating with said lat orm, a relatively stationary cap supp y hopper, crown selecting mechanism associated therewith,a crown supply chute communicating with capping mecha said hopper and having a substantially vertical portion alongside the vertical portion of said moving chute in edge to edge relation, said portions having, in their oppos- (ing edges, cooperating openings for the passage of crowns from the supply chute to the moving chute, and a crown directing element in the supply chute below its open- In a capping apparatus, the combination with a capplng head frame, of a capping plunger reciprocable therein and having a crown platform, a chute communicating with the'crown platform and having a bearingbracket, a bearing element carried. by the head frame and on which said bracket slides, a stationary hopper, a supply chute connected therewith and'having a portion paralleling part of said moving chute, edge to edge, said chutes having cooperating openings in their adjacent edges for the passage of crowns from the supply chute to the moving chute, the supply chute having a slanting bottom for directing crowns through said openings into the moving chute.

8. In a capping apparatus, in combination with a reciprocable capping plunger having a crown platform, a chute moving with the plunger and communicating with the crown platform, a stationary hopper, a supply chute secured thereto and having a portion paralleling part of the moving chute, edge to edge, the chutes being provided with cooperating openings in their adjacent edges for the passage of crowns, a block in the moving chute, a rod, on which said block is mounted, freely suspended from the top of the chute, said block serving to cut off the flow of crowns intermittently, and being free to yield in case of a jam.

In testlmony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR P. DORMAN. 

